A successful last minute penalty from Ryan Hinckson saw the reigning league and knockout champion Harvard scrape past Caribs 18�16 in a nail-biting T&T Rugby Football Union (TTRFU) Toyota Championship Division encounter, at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on Saturday.
Harvard, which entered the round as the only Championship Division team yet to play a match for the season, stamped its intention to retain the title after finally capitalising on a series of attacks which were in abundance throughout the encounter. But, Harvard arguably should have won the match by a distance if not for a couple of elementary errors.
It took the champions just three minutes to get off the mark, courtesy of a successful penalty from the reliable Hinckson. Caribs, however, responded in same with a penalty four moments later though Don Rojas. Ten minutes later, Rojas was again on target with a penalty to give Caribs a 6�3 advantage, a score which stood into the half. The second half was in stark contrast to the first, as both teams finally got tries on the board after taking more risks.
Hinckson was again the first player on target in the second half, this time with a try of which he converted in the 44th minute. Caribs again found a response in the 51st minute through an unconverted try from Samuel Roberts which gave the "Beer Boys" a one-point advantage. Just after the hour-mark Joseph Quashie gave Harvard its third lead of the match with an unconverted try. It had by all indications seemed to be the difference between the two teams.
However, due to the referee's persistent halting of the match, it was prolonged to an extent where Richard Staglon's try in the 81st minute put the team and its support in sheer jubilation, with what looked to be the match winner.
The celebrations were quickly silenced when Hinckson scored yet another penalty, which was followed by the final whistle less than a minute later.
The win put Harvard on nine points, level with Caribs which played one match extra. Northern, which leads the standings with two bonus-point wins and a draw, was on a bye for the weekend.
The day's other fixture saw Royalians hammer Rainbow 45�10. Kareem Figaro scored a hat-trick of tries for Royalians, while Felician Guerra, Dwayne Sandy, Samuel Skeeke and Kelson Figaro aided the win with one try each. Guerra also converted three of the efforts. It was Royalians' first win of the campaign, while Rainbow suffered its third straight defeat, one of which was a default loss as a result of a ban.
Action will continue next Saturday with only one match. Harvard will face Royalians, at the Queen's Park Savannah, as both teams make up their match in hand. Caribs is on a bye.
Toyota Championship Division Standings
Teams P W D L F A Bs Pts
Northern 3 2 1 0 118 46 2 12
Harvard 2 2 0 0 46 16 1 9
Caribs 3 1 1 1 91 33 2 9
Royalians 2 1 0 1 57 64 1 5
Rainbow 3 0 0 3 19 133 0 0
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